


A Call From The Darkness

by TheQueenyGospels



Category: Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them (Movies)
Genre: Angst, Crying, Graves/Credence is end game, I will protect Credence with my life, M/M, Memory Loss, Mentions of Newt Scamander - Freeform, Mentions of past abuse, Slow Burn, Therapy, Trust Issues, but it's healthy, credence is a sad baby, more tags may be added later
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-07-03
Updated: 2017-12-04
Packaged: 2018-11-22 21:19:37
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,622
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11388636
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheQueenyGospels/pseuds/TheQueenyGospels
Summary: Credence wakes up with no memories of who he is or was, all he has is the darkness in him and faint recollections of the people around him.(Discontinued)





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Hey, this is a piece I wrote ages ago but I really liked it so I decided to post it.

He awoke shrouded in darkness, it felt as if it was trying to free itself from him and he felt the same way, he and the darkness twisted violently, separating and re-joining over and over until finally he won, leaving him unable to move in the dampness of the sewers he had appeared in.

His name came back almost instantly. Credence. He said it aloud a couple of times before he accepted that it was his name. He then tried to remember why he was in the sewers or what city he was in, or what the darkness was. It was him he realised soon after. It was a part of him, or what was left of him, he couldn’t quite put the pieces together but he knew it was a part of him somehow.

He left the sewers when he drew hungry, he waited until he could not hear a single sound before he ascended from the man hole. The street he rose to was dimly lit and there was not a person in sight. He waited until his eyes adjusted to the light before searching for food. He resorted to scrounging through trash when he realised he had no way of purchasing food and could not remember where his family was, if he had one before he was in the sewers.

He discovered a half-eaten bagel in a back alley, where he stayed as he munch on the stale bread. He was thankful to eat after so long of nothing.

* * *

Credence woke with sore joints but he had grown accustomed to them rather quickly. He sat in the alley for some time before he dared to venture outside. He wasn’t dressed as sharply as those that walked pass him in a rush to get somewhere, his clothes had small rips in them and they were laden with dirt but no one paid him much attention, just glanced at him offhandedly then continued with their days. He felt like a ghost. The darkness called to him but he pushed it down and searched for food again.

After two hours of being refused again and again and again, Credence settled on a dreary patch of concrete, curled in on himself and held his hands out to form a bowl shape. Three, maybe four, hours went buy until three coins were dropped into his hands, he looked up to thank the stranger but they had already continued on with their day, so Credence pocketed the coins and again put out his hands. By night fall he had gained only two more coins, but he was thankful none the less.

He drank the water from a fountain when no one was in sight before he made his way back to his alleyway. Tiredly, he observed the triangular charm which hung around his neck, he knew it was not his but it felt that it had been gifted to him, by a family member maybe? He wished he could remember, or put a name to the ghost touch against his neck.

As he held the necklace in his hands he was unaware that in the distant, shrouded by magic and watched by guards, a man began to laugh, manically and sickening, the man laughed because he knew his weapon was not yet gone.

* * *

After receiving four more coins the next day, Credence entered a small bakery, the owner made sweets that looked like creatures you could only image in a fantastic dream. He found the cheapest sweet he could before he hesitantly went the count to buy it.

“Sorry, buddy, you’re off by a couple of cents.”

“O-Oh, s-sorry.” Credence went to take his coins back, visibly terrified, until a plump man appeared from the back office.

“Hey, Steve, I can handle this, why don’t you check on the scones.”

“Sure thing, Mr. Kowalski.”

“I-I’m sorry, I thought it was enough, I’ll just go.” Hurriedly, Credence tried to pick up his coins with shaky hands.

“Hey, hey, kid, it’s okay, I remember when I was your age; it’s hard sometimes. Here,” The man pulled out a paper bag, then filled it with sweets, including a jam tart, a colourful cookie, a pair of scones and a fresh sultana bun.

“I-I don’t have enough.”

“It’s okay, just promise to keep trying, have a nice day now.” The man smiled as he pushed the bag into Credence’s right hand and dropped the coins into his left.

“You too, thank you.” Credence left, still a little shaken and with tears forming in his eyes from the man’s kindness. He scurried away to his alleyway and sat down with a thud, he wanted to keep his food for as long as possible so he broke one of the scones in half and munched on it slowly, letting a tear rolling down his cheek as he wished he could remember more about himself.

* * *

It had been a week before Credence developed new memories, but they were memories he wished he’d never have to experience again. Pain. Sudden and angry with every lash of leather again the bare skin of his hand or his back. It put him in a cold sweat every time he thought about it too long. He remember begging for his abuser to stop at first but he learnt quickly that if he made no noise the attacks were shorter, and he could cry when his abuser was gone, as long as he did it quietly.

It was then that Credence realised he had no family, whoever he was before the sewers he did not want to go back to being that person, never again.

Credence did the same thing every day, he sat on a patch of pavement as comfortably as he could and held his hands out like a bowl. He had not yet eaten all the food the baker had given him so he did not need to spend the coins he received from begging yet.

Credence raised his head slowly when a large sheet of paper whipped through the breeze and caught on his leg. He pocketed the two coins he had collected and lifted what looked like the front sheet of a newspaper to read it.

**BREAKING NEWS: Gellert Grindelwald captured.**

**Percival Graves, Director of Magic Security, found imprisoned in California.**  
What’s next for Mr. Graves?  
Rumours have been spread that the ex-war veteran is considering retirement after his time in Grindelwald’s capture.  
See more on page 7.

Credence stared at the two photos that moved on the newspaper.  One was a blond man, who grinned viciously at the camera, sending chills down Credence’s spin, and the other seemed to be the man they found, he was looked like a broken man, tired eyes stared downwards as if he was watching a ghost while men helped him stand on his bare foot.

Credence stared at the second image, the man looked so familiar but almost as if he was once someone very different and the different man was the one Credence knew, and this man, this man was what was left of the past man.

Carefully, Credence folded the paper and tucked it into his jacket, then put his hand in front of him again.

When Credence went back to his alleyway he pulled out the page again, he ignored the blond man and instead stared at the man he assumed was Percival Graves. The man looked so tired and weak, truly like someone who had suffered. Credence laid down still looking at the moving image, he wanted to know how he rememberdx this man, this man who seemed so broken and who caused Credence to feel almost physical pain when seeing the hurt in his eyes.

* * *

The next day a woman approached him. She looked like someone had attempted to store sunshine inside a bottle and even though they had tried so hard some still spilled pass the lid, her wavy hair flowed gently in the breeze and her pink lips pulled into an honest smile.

“Hello, sweetie,” Carefully, the woman lent down in front of Credence, her eyes were kind, with the strong determination to share her kindness with others. “My name’s Queenie, what’s yours?”

“Credence, Miss.” He answered, tension running through his muscles, no one had talk to his since the pastry shop owner.

“Oh, honey, I’m not going to hurt you, I know Mr. Kowalski, the man who gave you the pastries: we’re friends. Credence, I don’t think you remember, but my sister, Tina, you and her have met before.” The woman- Queenie- moved gently so that she was sitting beside Credence on the pave walk. It surprised Credence instantly; the ground was so dirty, how could someone so pretty allow herself to even look at it let alone sit on it in her clean dress. “Credence, you… went missing some time ago and my sister’s been worried sick. Won’t you come back to her with me, I think she’d really like to see you again?”

The woman gave him the warmest smile she could muster, he could almost feel it burn against his skin. Credence was sure he was once told about the danger of strangers but he felt he remembered a woman named Tina, someone he owed something to, like she had done something for him or given him something. Anyway, Miss Queenie was the second person to show him affection since he had surfaced, so he agreed with her and allowed her to guide him to his feet before he followed her down the streets of New York.

* * *

Tina began to tear up when Queenie opened the door to reveal Credence beside her. She hugged him as she let out a broken laugh. Credence hugged her back but it felt odd, he didn’t recognise her, he remembered her name and vaguely remembered her kindness but when he looked at her he could not recognise her face.

“Credence, how are you al- where have you been?” Tina gently guided his to a chair then fetched a glass of water.

“I, um, I woke up in the sewers and then I climbed out and lived on the streets. Um, Mr. Kowalski,” Credence looked to Queenie for conformation that he had pronounced the name correctly, continuing when she nodded. “He gave me food.”

“You met Jacob?” Tina looked to Queenie when she asked Credence the question.

“I didn’t want to get your hopes up, Jacob had mention a young man who came in hungry and I thought maybe, just maybe, it could be him.” Queenie looked disappointed in herself for keeping it from her sister. “I’m sorry I didn’t tell you.”

“I just can’t believe it’s actually you.” Tina smiled at Credence. “How… do you feel?”

“Tired, mostly, Miss, but, well, I’d don’t remember much from before I woke up. Can… Can you tell me?” Credence wrung his hands nervously. The two ladies were very nice to him but he was not use to people constantly talking to him, and they looked at him like he was an abused animal, like they were scared he’d lash out to protect himself.

Is that the kind of person he’d been before he woke up?

“No, sweetie,” Queenie said, suddenly beside Credence. “We’re just worried about you, you use to be very unwell.”

“Credence,” Tina placed a gentle hand on his knee. “There was a very bad man named Grindelwald, he tricked a lot of people into thinking he was someone else, including you and myself. Grindelwald was looking for a very powerful person but he didn’t know for certain who they were, so he didn’t realise it was you. Because you were so powerful it made you very sick but also dangerous to others, and some people thought it was easier to get rid of you instead of helping you”

“Who was the person? The person he pretended to be.”

“His name’s Percival Graves, I’d asked him look after you because I couldn’t because of my work.”

“Graves… The man in the newspapers.” Carefully, Credence pulled the sheet from his coat and unfolded it revealing the images on the front page. “That man?” Credence pointed at the broken men.

“Yes, that was the day we found him, a month after Grindelwald was captured.”

“May I meet him?” Tina hesitated, looking back at Queenie briefly.

“He’s recovering at the moment, he’s resting in hospital until he’s healthy again. He’d been gone for months. But once he has recovered we can take you to him, if you’d like?”

“I would, yes please.” Credence then stood and smiled at Tina and Queenie. “It’s getting dark now and I wouldn’t like to stay more than wanted. Thank you very much, Miss Tina, Miss Queenie.”

“Pardon?” Tina looked at him shocked.

“It’s becoming dark outside and-”

“Sweetie,” Queenie stepped forward and laid her hand on Credence’s shoulder. “We can’t possibly let you go back to the streets, we care about you, why don’t you stay with us for now, until we figure something else out?”

“I-I would appreciate that, thank you, Miss.” Queenie smiled at him before she led him to a room with a bed on either side. “There’s a bathroom just through that door and clothes on the bed. I’m just down the hall if you need anything. Goodnight, Credence.”

“Goodnight, Miss Queenie, thank you.” She closed the door behind him but he quickly pressed his ear to it when he caught a glimpse of Tina just before the door closed.

“I’ve just sent a letter to Newt to let him know. I wander how long he’s been out there, he must be so confused.” Tina whispered.

“He is, he really wants to see Mister Graves, he’s the only person he remembers, even though it’s only a little bit.” Credence listened keenly.

“Graves wants to see him as well, was asking about him when I visited, I had no idea what to say.”

“Maybe tomorrow?”

“No, in a couple of days, they both need to recover, Credence could still have the obscurus in him, and he needs a long bath and lots of nutrition.” Credence felt his shoulders slump as the conversation faded down the hall, he wouldn’t be allowed to meet the man until he was healthier. Too tired to bathe though, Credence moved from the door and climbed into the bed on the left side of the room. Sleep overtook him almost instantly, the softness and warmth a dramatic contrast to what he had grown accustomed to.


	2. Dr Friend

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> So begins Credence's recovery.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm not dead (only on the inside :D)

When Credence woke he kept as quiet as he could, not wanting to wake either of the Goldstein sisters, as he crept into the bathroom then began to undress before he stepped into the shower. He sat on the floor while he allowed the hot water the spray against his back. Credence twisted his arm so that he could see the scars that were littered across his arm, he felt the phantom pain of leather against young skin and remembered the trickle of blood down his back and from his hands. Credence shook his head to stop the memories when he heard the darkness inside, hungry for the attention he was refusing it. Quickly, Credence stood from the cold tiles and turned off the water, his back was beginning to hurt and he didn’t want to waste the water. He dried off and dressed in the clothes Queenie had left on the bed for him.

Credence looked at himself in the small mirror above the sink. His hair was long, it almost touched his shoulders and was messy from lack of attention. His cheeks seemed hollow from his hunger and the dark shadows under his eyes were sunk deep. These features made Credence wander for too long how he had looked before he woke in the sewers.

 “Credence, sweetie, are you awake?” Queenie called after she knocked against the bedroom door. It was still early but she could sense his discomfort and was worried he had hurt himself or was having a bad dream. Credence ran his rough fingers through his hair in a futile attempt to wrangle the tangle of his dark locks before he opened the door and smiled at Queenie, who was dressed in a pretty pale pink dress.

“Good morning, Miss Queenie, I’m sorry, did I wake you?”

“Not at all, darling, would you like breakfast? We have eggs and bacon, and juice.”

“Bacon?” Credence tilted his head slightly.

“Do you know what bacon is?”

“Yes, I think so, but I don’t think I know what it taste like.”

“Oh, then you must have some!” Queenie clapped her hands together, keeping up her chipper persona. “Come along, I’ll begin breakfast.” Credence followed her from the room and into the kitchen. “Take a seat, Tina won’t be up for another hour.” Credence sat opposite the stove comfortably. “Now, please don’t be frightened, but Tina and I have special powers, lots of people do, but I often to use mine to cook, it’s very convenient.” Credence gasped softly as the stove lit itself and the fridge opened, followed by eggs, bacon, and a carton of orange juice. A distant voice in a blurry memory told Credence this was wrong, _sinful_ , the word **witchcraft** was spat in his face with distain, but Credence shook his head, Miss Queenie was nice, and the voice was wrong. “Credence?” He flinched slightly and looked up.

“I’m sorry, pardon?”

“I asked if you could remember anything.”            

“Oh, sorry, um… Not really, I remember feelings, like touches… But that’s all, I’m sorry.” He looked down. Credence felt useless without any idea of who he had been, his hands were shaking under the table slightly and his knee was bouncing quickly. The darkness began to talk again. “I’m sorry I don’t remember anything, I-I’m just-” Suddenly a hand caught Credence’s and his head shot up to see Queenie next to him, looking at him with so much intensity and affection that he almost started crying.

“Credence, it’s okay, you’re not to blame for your memory loss.”

“I-Is there anything you can tell me about who I was?”

“Um, sure, but I only know what Tina has told me.” Credence nodded. “You were adopted, along with others, by an unkind woman, she hated people like Tina and I, and Mister Graves, and you. She was horrible and cruel, and showed you no true love.”

“Did she hurt me?” Queenie hesitated, pity knitted into her expression.

“Tina told me she did.” Credence looked at the scars across his hands but was distracted by Queenie’s thumbs as it ran over his hand. “I don’t know anything else.” They were silent for a moment before Queenie released his hand and stood straight. “Oh, breakfast is ready!” A plate filled with perfectly cooked food gently landed in front on Credence, he stared at it in awe; it was more food than he had seen… Ever. Steam flowed from the dish and it smelt spectacular. “Well, don’t just stare at it, darling, eat up before it goes cold.”

Credence ate eagerly while Queenie continued to cook breakfast for Tina and herself. She smiled when she looked back at Credence to see him smiling as he ate. His mind wasn’t conflicted by memories he couldn’t decipher.

“Good morning.” Tina mumble as she walked into the kitchen, Credence only briefly looked up but Queenie turned to her sister with a smile and offered her a cup of coffee. “Credence, how are you?” She ask as she sat beside him at the table with her accepted cup, while a plate of food moved to place itself in front of her.

“I’m good.” He didn’t know how else to answer. Should he tell her he’d had a headache ever since he’d woken up in the sewers? Should he tell her about the darkness in the back of his mind? Should he ask more about who he was before he woke up? “Miss Tina, what’s an obscurus?” The pan in Queenie’s hand suddenly clattered against the stove top, shocking the others.

“Sorry, sorry, it just slipped.” She moved it off the hot plate and kept her eyes from Credence.

“Um, an obscurus?” Credence nodded, looking back to Tina as she sipped her coffee. “An obscurus is… A creature. An obscurus forms when a wizard or witch suppresses their magic so much that the built up energy forms a new being, the obscurus then destroys the person it once was.”

“Is… Is that what I was?” Tina’s eyes caught Queenie’s as she joined them at the table with her breakfast.

“Yes.” Credence’s stomach twisted and dropped, he felt sick and dizzy.

**Disgusting just like your filthy parents.**

_He’s a monster._

Credence froze when Queenie’s hands caught his again.

“Credence, you’re not a monster, you were young and scared, and you had no one to help you.” Credence felt slightly calmer as Queenie’s thumb rubbed against the roof of his hand. “Tinie and I are going to make sure you’re healthy and we’re going to keep you safe.” Credence nodded slowly.

“When can I meet Mr Graves?” He asked, wanting to change the subject.

“When both of you are better.” Tina answered. “Queenie’s going to take you to a doctor we know, they’ll help you.”

* * *

Credence sat uncomfortably on the plush couch, Queenies was sitting outside, giving Credence privacy with the doctor. Dr Frien was a tall, curvy woman, with dark skin and thick, curly hair, she had dark eyes but a bright smile. She sat in the chair next to Credence, facing him with a clipboard in hand.

“Credence, as you know, I’m Dr Friend, but you can call me Elaine.” Credence looked around the room curiously, the walls were light grey and littered with photos and artworks, and there was a desk behind Elaine with papers and trinkets along it. “Credence, I’m going to ask you a couple of question, they’ll give me an idea of where to begin with helping you, I’ll need you to answer honestly.” He nodded slowly. “Okay, what do remember from before you woke up in the sewers?”

“I remember the man,”

“Mr Graves?”

“Yes, but I only recognise him.” Elaine nodded. “I remember pain as well, like I’m being hit by something, by leather, and I remember bleeding.” His hands began to shake in his lap, he didn’t want to talk about the memories or the pain, they made him feel sick and scared. They made the darkness stir inside him. Credence flinched when Elaine’s hand was suddenly on his trembling ones.

“I understand this is hard to talk about, many people who have been through similar traumas like yours struggle to work through them, and you’re already doing amazingly.” She squeezed her hand gently, as if trying to draw him back to the current moment and away from the darkness. “Do you want to continue?” He nodded, and Elaine released his hand a sat back in her chair. “Okay, what’s the earliest memory you have of waking up?”

“I-” He wandered for a moment about how she’ll react if he tells her about the darkness. Will she think he’s mad and send him away? Will she call him monster and refuse to help him? The fear kept Credence quiet for a few long moments but Elaine didn’t press him for answers, she just waited and allowed him the time he needed. “When I woke I wasn’t awake, it was like I was dreaming.” His hands trembled again but he continued. “I felt like I was fighting to be myself, fighting against something.”

“Something?” Elaine’s brows furrowed curiously.

“The darkness.” Elaine wrote something down on the clipboard. “It’s… It’s still inside me, talking.”

“What’s it talking about?”

“It wants to be free, it’s angry and hungry.”

“What did you mean when you said you were fighting it?”

“It was like it was trying to break free, but when it was free I was trapped. We were moving, twisting, it hurt but I couldn’t stop it, we were separating and connecting over and over and over and it hurt so much… Then it stopped, and I couldn’t see the darkness anymore but it’s still inside me.” When he stopped talking Credence realised tears were streaming down his cheeks and his breath was coming out shakily. “I-I-I’m s-sorry, I-”

“Credence, you never need to apologise here.” Elaine moved slowly so that he was frightened as she stood and walked to her desk, when she returned she carried with her a box of tissues. She offered the tissues wordlessly, Credence took the box into his lap and pulled out several in a failed attempt to stop the tears before they got worse.

Neither member of the room talked for fifteen long minutes, Elaine didn’t try to stop Credence’s tears, soon Credence pulled his knees up and held them against his chest, he pressed his fisted hands against his tightly clenched eyes as his whole body shook. Outside the door, Queenie sat in a waiting chair, her leg bouncing in frustration as she held back the urge to barge through the door and wrap her arms around the pained boy.

“When people go through trauma,” Elaine began once Credence had calmed. “They work through it in different ways, some drink, some eat, some don’t, some people keep everything bottled up until it becomes too much for them to handle, emotionally and magically, this is what you’ve done. I’m hoping to help you work through both.”

“Y-You’re magic?”

“Yes, I’m a half blood, magic from my father’s side.” Credence nodded slowly. “Do you want to keep visiting me for sessions, or would you like me to suggest you to someone else?”

“You.” Elaine smiled.

“Okay, I’m going to organise seeing you three times a week.” With that said, Elaine stood from her chair and moved to her desk, she wrote something on a piece of paper quickly before she moved back to Credence. “Make sure you’re eating three meals a day and drinking lots of water, and try to get eight hours of sleep.” Elaine lead Credence to the door with a gentle hand, when they opened it Queenie stood instantly and pulled Credence into a careful hug, as they hugged Elaine slipped the piece of paper into Queenie’s hand.

“Thank you, El.”

“I’m always happy to help you, Queenie.” Queenie smiled warmly as she released Credence.

“Let’s head back home so you can get some rest.” She rubbed smoothing circles against Credence’s back as they walked.

* * *

By the time they returned to the apartment Credence felt dead on his feet, exhaustion taking over and drawing him to his bed. Queenie was with him until he fell asleep, before he shut his eyes completely he saw her place a glass of water and a plate of biscuits on the nightstand.

Queenie gave Credence’s sleeping form one last look before she gently shut the bedroom door and took a seat in the main area. She pulled out the note Elaine had snuck into her hand and opened it to read.

_Queenie and Tina,_

_Credence shows signs of still containing to obscurus inside him, because this kind of thing has never occurred I’m not sure how to help him, however I’m going to start focussing on him gaining control over his magic, I’m not sure how long this will take but I’m going to organise three sessions a week, including Monday, Thursday and Saturday.  
Also, this situation is going to be kept confidential for all parties’ safety._

_Love, Elaine._

Queenie folded the note back up and left it on the bench where Tina would see it when she got home, before she began working on files she’s brought home from work.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Comments and kudos! Let me know what you're hoping to see in the future. Love y'all!

**Author's Note:**

> Comments and kudos :) Let me know if I should continue, love y'all <3


End file.
